F1 Qualifying Results – Japanese Grand Prix 2023 times as Verstappen thwarts McLaren charge in Q3

Matthew Hobkinson
Saturday 23 September 2023 10:16 - Updated: 10:20

Max Verstappen will start on pole for the Japanese Grand Prix after the Red Bull star kept a late charge from McLaren at bay during Saturday's qualifying session.

The two-time world champion – who topped FP1, FP2 and FP3 – made it a clean sweep with a dominant Q3 display in his RB19 as he recorded a 1:28.877s lap time.

Verstappen will be joined on the front row by Oscar Piastri, with Lando Norris clinching third place.

Mercedes endured a challenging set of practice sessions ahead of qualifying, yet they will have Lewis Hamilton and George Russell starting Sunday's race in seventh and eighth respectively.

Fernando Alonso survived a late scare to make it into Q3, as Liam Lawson came just 0.043s from knocking the Formula 1 veteran out during qualifying at Suzuka.

Lawson will start Sunday's race in 11th after came agonisingly close to making it into the top 10 shoot-out for pole.

The New Zealander was joined by Pierre Gasly, Alex Albon, Esteban Ocon and Kevin Magnussen as the five drivers who failed to progress from Q2.

READ MORE: EXCLUSIVE: Albon EXCITED by new Williams F1 project as star driver enjoys extra responsibility

Meanwhile, Valtteri Bottas, Lance Stroll, Zhou Guanyu, Nico Hulkenberg and Logan Sargeant all exited qualifying after the first session.

Sargeant had an unfortunate end to his time in qualifying after he lost control of his Williams and collided with the barriers with the nine minutes remaining in Q1.

The American was able to get out of the car, but exited the session without recording a lap time

F1 Qualifying Results: Japanese Grand Prix 2023

1. Max Verstappen [Red Bull] 1:28.877s

2. Oscar Piastri [McLaren] +0.581s

3. Lando Norris [McLaren] +0.616s

4. Charles Leclerc [Ferrari] +0.665s

5. Sergio Perez [Red Bull] +0.773s

6. Carlos Sainz [Ferrari] +0.973s

7. Lewis Hamilton [Mercedes] +1.031s

8. George Russell [Mercedes] +1.342s

9. Yuki Tsunoda [AlphaTauri] +1.426s

10. Fernando Alonso [Aston Martin] +1.683s

ELIMINATED IN Q2

11. Liam Lawson [AlphaTauri]

12. Pierre Gasly [Alpine]

13. Alex Albon [Williams]

14. Esteban Ocon [Alpine]

15. Kevin Magnussen [Haas]

ELIMINATED IN Q1

16. Valtteri Bottas [Alfa Romeo]

17. Lance Stroll [Aston Martin]

18. Nico Hulkenberg [Haas]

19. Zhou Guanyu [Alfa Romeo]

20. Logan Sargeant [Williams]

How does F1 Qualifying work?

The 60-minute qualifying session is split into three finite windows which provides a dramatic prelude to Sunday's big race.

The bottom five drivers are eliminated at the end of Q1, with a further five eliminated after Q2.

Then Q3 gives us a shootout between the remaining 10 drivers in the battle for positions at the front of the grid.

READ MORE: Unstoppable Verstappen is a MAJOR PROBLEM for F1